


What makes a monster and what makes a man?

by Krit



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Everybody Lives, F/F, F/M, Kumiho!Billy, M/M, Minor Character Death, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-27 13:24:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16703440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krit/pseuds/Krit
Summary: Billy has spent 100 years suppressing his nature.When his past comes calling, he has to face what he is, and what it means for his future with Goodnight.Now he has to make peace between what he wants, and what he is.(The Billy/OFC happened in the past. It'll be in flashbacks, but Billy is very much with Goodnight now.)





	1. A Mother's Love

_**PROLOGUE** _

 

 

3,000 BC

  
The shriek of the birds as they swarmed past were her first sign that something was wrong. Then the prickle at the back of her neck. Tae-Yeong shifted into her human form and collected her daggers. Danger had come to the forest. She called for her mate to collect the children and run. To hide.

As she marched forward, a Chollima landed in front of her.

“Humans.” He huffed. “They are headed this way.”

“Humans hunt in the forest all the time. They have never bothered us before.”

“They feared us. But now that fear has turned to anger. Hatred. They are coming to destroy us. To take the forest for their own.”

“Gather the others. We’ll meet them head on.”

“There are too many. The whole tribe. They brought dogs.”

“We can take them.”

“And if we can not?”

“Then we give the others a chance to escape.”

~*~

Tae-Yeong was ancient, wise, and well respected. Not only among her own people. But to all the creatures of the forest. Her strength and bravery was renowned. Several warriors joined the fight. But the humans were ready for them. They had prepared for this.

Tae-Yeong was the last to fall. Her daggers, slick with blood, gleamed in the sunlight that cut through the trees. Her tails had been lost. She felt her body weakening. Chunks of flesh torn from her by the dogs. She was tired. She could see the Jeoseung Saja standing on the edge of the clearing. Waiting for the battle to be over. She kept fighting. Rage and the desperate need to protect her people coursed within her. Her heart pounded with every breath. Her arms burned with the effort to move them. It was over. But she would go down fighting.

~*~

The twins Byeol and Ji-A approached the clearing with their friend Ki following close behind. The battle was over. The danger had passed. The humans, what was left of them, having killed the monsters in the forest, did not venture further to see if there were more. Instead, they returned to their homes.

Ji-A’s face was twisted in fury as she looked out over the carnage. Her rage boiled inside her so bright and so deep, that she could not even cry. Her brother wept silent tears beside her. Too overcome to make a sound. Ki’s face was flooded with confusion. As though she could not comprehend what she was seeing. She fell to her knees, soaking her skirt in blood. They were so young to know such pain. Not even of age. Still children.

Byeol began to move among the gore. He reached down and plucked something from the ground, placing it reverently in the bag on his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” His sister rasped out.

“I want to keep them. She wanted me to have them. I have to keep them.” He mumbled in reply, reaching down to pick something else up. This time, Ji-A could see what it was. A silver dagger. Blood seeped into the grooves of the design on the hilt. Their mother’s signature weapons. Passed down from parent to child. She had begun to teach Byeol how to use them as soon as he could walk. He stared down. A dagger lay still tightly gripped by his mother’s fingers. Her arm laying severed on the ground. Byeol swallowed a sob and dropped to the ground, carefully pulling back the cold fingers to release the colder metal held within them. Everything was cold. Down to his bones. He kept moving. Another dagger was lodged in the base of the skull of a human. Tae-Yeong’s favorite move.

By the time all the daggers were collected, and he had pulled the silver pin from her hair, Byeol’s hands were soaked with blood, and his face was soaked with tears. He trembled as he wrapped his arms around his sister, burying his face in her neck. She held him tight, afraid to let go. Unsure of what to say.

Ki’s eyes glowed as she recited a prayer to the gods, calling on them to scorch the earth. Flames rose from the ground, engulfing the strewn corpses.

The children sat and watched the flames. None of them saying another word.

~*~

1850

“Name?”

“Byeol.”

“Huh?”

“Byeol.”

“I’m just gonna put down Bill. You got a last name that goes with that?”

“What?”

“Jesus. How about Rocks? Billy Rocks. Welcome to America.”


	2. Sister Knows Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters in this story speak English and Korean. To help differentiate, I put Korean in italics.  
> Also, Billy has two different names, also in the name of limiting confusion, the narrative will always refer to him as Billy. Ji-A and Ki will refer to him as Byeol.

1880 

  

  

Rose Creek had certainly been an adventure. The seven heroes certainly had their fair share of scars. Faraday arguably having the most, with half his body burned and his hearing shot to hell. He was lucky to have all his limbs intact. Billy had seen what explosives could do to a man. Hell, what they did to Bogue's men that were on the gun wagon. Faraday's back and arms bore the brunt of it, as he had possessed the sense to duck and cover his head before the blast went off. Not to mention all the bullet wounds. But he survived. As ornery and obnoxious as ever. They all survived. Billy didn’t think too hard on what he did to make sure of that little fact, he just thanked the gods that they all made it through together. His new little family.  

 

He had been alone for so long. And then it was just him and Goodnight. It was nice to have a pack again. Even if they were all human. But maybe especially because they were all human. Soft, and young, and so... Billy couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was about them that intrigued him so. After his mother’s death, his father always warned him about getting too close to humans. Lure one or two into the forest at a time to feed. But never let them see you until it’s too late. But Billy was always curious. About humans. About the greater world beyond the horizon. It was that curiosity that brought him to this land. To these people. And it was his curiosity that led him back.  

 

He could have ignored the flier on the notice board as they strolled into town. It was Sam’s role to check the boards for new jobs and the like. But the familiar script caught his eye. He was used to seeing papers baring English, Spanish, and even the occasional Chinese. And this particular notice had its message translated into all three of those as well. But also in Korean. He hadn’t seen his mother tongue’s written form in quite some time. He hadn’t even come across another Korean in all his years in America. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the board, staring at the flier. It almost took him a moment to register what it said. 

 

 _Lady Ji-A welcomes you to join her illustrious household. Be at the_ _forefront_ _of_ _economic_ _and social_ _advancement_ _._  

 

An address followed. A farm on the edge of a town less than a day’s ride. Ji-A. It couldn’t be. A hundred years was a long time. But if his sister was in America... And so close... He had to know. 

 

“I have to go.” He heard himself murmuring. The others turned to stare at him, startled and confused. “I have to look into something. It’s important. I’ll be back soon.” He sent a small reassuring smile to Goodnight before turning and heading back out. Goodnight nodded and watched him for a moment, then turned back to the others. If Billy said he needed to go, he needed to go. If he said he’d be back, he’d be back. 

 

~*~ 

 

Billy came upon the farm just as the sun was beginning to set. The house looked like one of the old southern manors Goodnight showed him that one time they ventured far enough east. Lots of windows, a big wrap around porch. The double doors in front were carved with intricate designs of ivy and flowers. This was no back woods farm in the middle of nowhere. This was the beginnings of an industry. Folks of all colors milled about the property doing this and that. Billy hitched his horse to a post and headed up the front steps, knocking quickly and loudly, betraying his nerves. A lovely white woman with brown hair and almost too bright eyes answered, a polite smile plastered to her face.  

 

“And how may I help you this evening?” She looked him over, taking in his dusty appearance. “You lookin’ for work?” 

 

“I’m looking for the lady of the house.” 

 

“Do you have an appointment?” The smile never left her face, and her voice stayed a friendly pitch, but something cautious started to grow behind those eyes. 

 

“She’ll want to see me. Tell her Byeol is here.” 

 

The woman looked him over once more, studying his eyes, and seeming satisfied with what she found there. She opened the door further and stepped to the side, allowing him to enter. 

 

“You have a seat right over there, and I’ll let her know you’re here.” 

 

Billy sat in a cushioned chair, and waited. A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps, not quite running, but definitely not walking. And then, there she was at the top of the stairs. She looked a little different. Her hair pinned up. Cleaner. Still so elegant and graceful. An imposing figure. Just like their mother. Her dress was... He wasn’t sure what to make of it. A mix of Korean, Chinese, and American styles. It suited her. Blood red velvet and black lace. He could tell from the way she moved that she had a knife in her boot. And the silver hair pin that matched his was tucked into her updo. 

 

“Byeol?” She whispered, clutching to the railing. 

 

“ _Hello sister.”_ He answered, rising to his feet. Speaking Korean felt like coming home. He had taught a fair amount of it to Goodnight, and the other man was passible enough to have small conversations with. But his accent was atrocious. This was different. 

 

“ _You’re here. I never thought... We didn’t know where you went. Where you would end up.”_  

 

 _“I was in China for a while. A long while. Then I made my way here.”_  

 

Ji-A made her way down the steps and leapt at him, wrapping him in the tightest embrace she could manage. He returned the hug, breathing in her scent. A century and an ocean had lain between them, but now it was as if they had never parted.  

 

“ _I should warn you._ ” Ji-A pulled away slightly, gripping his arms. “ _Ki is here._ ” 

 

Billy sighed. “ _I’ll have to face her sooner or later._ ” 

 

As if on que, Ki came in from the opposite end of the foyer. Billy’s breath caught in his throat a little, but not the way it used to whenever he saw her. She was just as beautiful as she’d always been. Her hair cut short, and her lips upturned. When her eyes landed on him, she stopped in her tracks.  

 

“ _Byeol_ _? Is it really you?”_  

 

 _“Yes.”_  Billy sighed and braced himself. Ki nodded slowly before dropping the books she was holding on the ground and making her way over to him. Her fist connected with his jaw with enough force to send him reeling sideways. He felt the bone break and instantly begin to knit back together. 

 

“ _You_ _asshole! I could kill you! I should kill you! Do you have any idea what you put us_ _through_ _?!”_ Her ranting was cut short by Ji-A, who pulled herself together and stopped laughing enough to take Ki by the arm, and pull her a few steps away.  

 

“ _Yes, yes, we’re all very angry with him for running off. But it was a long time ago, and we’ve all moved on.”_  She gave Ki a pointed look, and the other woman rolled her eyes before gathering her fallen items and leaving the room. Ji-A turned her attention back on her brother. “ _We have a lot of catching up to do. I insist you stay the night.”_  She turned to the woman who answered the door - who had watched the events transpire with just the slighted of amused smirks on her face – and switched to English. “Polly dear, could you set up a guest room for my brother?” 

 

“Of course, miss!” She turned to Billy. “Would you also like me to set up a bath, mister... Byeol?” Her stuttered pronunciation of his real name wasn’t the worst he’d heard, but still, he took pity on her.  

 

“People in this country call me Billy.” He saw Ji-A's nose wrinkle in disgust as she mouthed the name to herself. “And yes, a bath would be lovely.” The woman - Polly  - smiled and nodded, and headed back up the stairs. Ji-A took Billy’s hand in hers.  

 

“ _Come with me.”_ She led him to a beautiful office, lined with bookshelves and potted plants. A large desk sat against a window. Ji-A motioned for him to sit on one of the couches facing the fireplace as she busied herself at the glass drink cart. “ _I’m not going to pester you about why you left. You always had a wonder lust, and considering what happened that summer... I’m not even as angry a_ _bout_ _it as Ki is. I wish you had given us better warning, but still. Mostly,_ _Byeol_ _, I’m worried about you.”_ She handed him a glass of what smelled like bourbon, and sat down, taking a sip of her own. “ _You don’t look well. You’re too skinny. Your skin is dry. There’s something I don’t like behind your eyes.”_  

 

 _“I’ve been_ _traveling_ _.”_ Billy tried to explain. “ _It’s a hard life. But I love it.”_  

 

 _“I know what traveling looks like. That’s not it. When was the last time you ate?”_  

 

 _“I eat every day.”_ Billy looked away and took a long sip of his drink. He was not looking forward to this conversation. 

 

“ _Cows, and eggs, and_ _vegetables_ _, that’s all well and good; when was the last time you fed?”_ She studied him for a moment. “ _Byeol_ _... What have you done to yourself?”_  

 

Billy sighed and placed his glass on the coffee table. He stared at it, unable to look his sister in the eye. He knew damn well how she as going to react to what he was about to say. “ _Cow and pig hearts work just as well. And they’re easier to come by. And raise less suspicion.”_  

 

Ji-A slammed her own glass down, furious. “ _Are you fucking kidding me?! You’re starving yourself! How long have you been living like this?”_  

 

 _“It’s not that bad.”_  

 

 _“How long?”_  

 

 _“Since I left.”_  

 

 _“Since- One hundred years? You’ve been starving_ _yourself_ _for a century?”_  

 

 _“I’m not starving-”_  

 

 _“We need human hearts to survive. That is how the gods made us. To deprive ourselves of that, is_ _starvation_ _.”_ She reached out and took his chin in her hand, turning him to face her. “ _Why are you doing this to yourself_ _Byeol_ _? Because of what happened before you left? I know it was traumatic, but that’s no reason-”_  

 

 _“It’s not that. Not completely.”_ Billy sighed. “ _I don’t expect you to understand._ _But_ _the humans... Living_ _among_ _them... You don’t feel it? Living here, like this, so close to them?”_  

 

 _“I don’t.”_  Ji-A chuckled and shook her head. “ _Byeol_ _, none of the people working for me are human. Not completely, anyway. Ki enchanted our notices so that only those with inhuman blood can see them. Humans are food at best, and enemies at worst. And you’ve... what? Assimilated? Dear sweet brother.”_ She slid her hand around the back of his neck, thumb stroking the soft hair there. “ _You can live among them. You can eat like them. You can act like them. But you will never be one of them.”_  

 

 _“There is a way.”_ Billy murmured. Ji-A smirked almost mockingly at him. 

 

“ _That’s a myth. A silly story. Besides. You’ve been playing pretend for a hundred years, and you’ve_ _never_ _tried it? Or can you not? You refuse to eat them, but_ _you_ _can’t go three years without killing them? Why torture yourself?”_  

 

 _“It’s different now.”_ Billy whispered, twisting the ring on his thumb. The glint of the silver caught Ji-A's eye. 

 

“ _What’s this?”_ She grabbed his hand and pulled it close, inspecting the ring. It was a simple band of silver with a fleur de lis engraved in it. Her face hardened. “ _Byeol_ _, what is this?”_  He stayed silent. “ _Tell me this doesn’t mean what I think it means!”_ She dropped his hand and sighed. “ _Now you think you’re in love_ _with one_ _of them.”_  

 

 _“I am.”_  

 

 _“What?”_  

 

 _“I am in love with him.”_ He looked straight into her eyes this time. “ _I have never felt for anyone the way I feel about him. He is the love of my life.”_  

 

 _“That’s an awful long life to place on such a short one.”_ She sighed. “ _He’s mortal. He’s going to die. Soon. His life will be over before you know it. And w_ _hen_ _that day comes... I just want you to know... You can always come back to us.”_  She kissed his forehead. “ _Go take a bath and get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning.”_


End file.
